This invention relates to the exhaust nozzle of a gas turbine engine for powering aircraft and particularly to the configuration of the throat of a convergent/divergent nozzle of the exhaust of the gas turbine engine.
As one skilled in this art will appreciate, the axisymmetrical nozzle of a gas turbine engine serves to adjust the throat of the nozzle so as to be adjusted for different engine operating modes so as to give a different flow characteristics in the throat area. One of the problems with the heretofore known throat is that the interface between the convergent flap portion and divergent flap portion, particularly where the two portions are hinged, not only impairs the flow there over or fails to provide a streamlined flow stream adjacent the boundary layer, it presents itself in the sight of radar and hence, is radar reflective. Where it is desirable to minimize the radar reflectivity of aircraft, particularly, military aircraft, this portion of the axisymmetrical exhaust nozzle present is one of the more significant problems.
I have found that I can provide an improved streamlined flow over the hinged area of the convergent/divergent nozzle of a gas turbine engine designed for military aircraft by changing the hinge configuration. This change in configuration also improves the low observable characteristics of the nozzle. The invention is characterized as being capable of providing these improvements noted in the above, and is characterized as being simple in construction, inexpensive and capable of being used to retrofit existing axisymmetrical nozzles.
An object of this invention is to provide an improved convergent/divergent nozzle assembly for an axisymmetrical discharge nozzle for a gas turbine engine powering aircraft.
A feature of this invention is to provide a configuration of the flaps adjacent the hinge connection of the convergent and divergent portions of the discharge nozzle that enhance the flow characteristics adjacent thereto and reduce the radar reflectivity and improve the low radar observable.
The foregoing and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.